Cordero to Reds; 4 years, $46 million

[RockCoCougars]

Dodged a big time bullet here. I'm so glad he didn't take the $42 million offer. He was overpriced and over hyped because of his unbelievable start last year. He was just an average closer afterward. Add in the fact that he is going to be 33 in May, no way I give him possibly five years.

 

I really hope that Doug doesn't overreact now and give up a lot for Chad Cordero or Brian Fuentes. I've heard both their names kicked around a lot here. I watched both pitch a lot last year and they are just not that good. Seemed like whenever I watched either pitch, if they did get the save, it was a white knuckle type one.

 

If they HAVE to go out and get a "name" closer, I'd rather see them see if the White Sox are dumb enough to trade Jenks. That said, I'd be OK picking up a plus arm in free agency (Dotel, Wood, etc.) and let Turnbow compete with them for the closer's job in the spring. A stud closer is nice to have, but I don't know if it's an absolute necessity. Look how far the Indians got last year with Borowski.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

and there goes 2008... it was nice knowing it.

[logan82]

We do have quite a bit of money for next year so throwing away $3.2M next year isn't as big of a deal as it would be in a few years. My biggest complaint with offering Cordero a contract wasn't that we couldn't afford him next year, it was that down the road,2-3 years from now, we are going to need a big chunk of money to keep our current young studs.

[brettac1]

A stud closer is nice to have, but I don't know if it's an absolute necessity. Look how far the Indians got last year with Borowski.

 

In essence, though, they had the "relief ace" model with Betancourt. He was ridiculous. The Brewers probably don't have a guy as good as him in the pen.

[TooLiveBrew]

You should be happy with Turnbow as the closer. Then we can use our best reliever better than we could if he is tied to the closer's role. That is unless Turnbow ends up being our best reliever. In that case we are screwed.

This is a thought that crossed my mind too. The one concern that remains for me is the possibility that Doug is simply going to move forward with our 'pen as is, and hope to find more scrap-heap-ers. If Gwynn & Capuano together could net us a reliever, I think it's getting to the point where you need to pull the trigger. The thing is, I'm wondering whether or not our guys are drawing interest. I suppose once the signings quiet down, the trades will begin to fly.

"...said Melvin, who didn't appear excited about the prospect of going after Eric Gagne."

 

Phew. That makes me feel better.

[Fatter than Joey]

Paying a reliever $12 mil per year, just isn't smart.

 

The Reds offered 11.5 -- The Brewers offered 10.5 -- I fail to see the Brewers being any more clever than Reds really.

 

Mota's signing is somewhat hedged by it being a one year deal -- I'd rather have neither Mota and Cordero, than just Mota

[DuWayne Steurer]

Assuming the Brewers carry even a 70 million dollar payroll, I can't say I'd want to see them put 1/7th of the payroll into one guy who will pitch one inning maybe every other day.

 

The closer role is a farce to begin with. There are several instances, year in and year out where you'll see your 8th inning guy (Turnbow) come in and pitch the 8th and face the 3-4-5 batters, and then the money man, the closer gets to come in in the 9th and face the bottom of the order.

 

Sad to say, but that's the way baseball is thanks to the Tony LaRussa bullpen model. Cordero was good, but I don't think he was anything special, when compared to other closers around the league.

 

Turnbow of course is not the answer, but he had a higher percentage of appearances with no runs allowed than Cordero last year, if that means anything. I think in the case of a one inning reliever, it does.

[endaround]

Keep in mind that we don't know how those contracts were structures. Milwaukee may have backloaded Cordero's deal as much as they did Suppan and maybe Cordero doesn't want to get traded in two years.

 

As for Dunn, he has a full no trade clause now so any trade will come with a contract extension.

[logan82]

I would be willing to bet that the contracts had similar structures. I could be mistaken, but most contracts are back loaded. $1 today is worth more than that same $1 even a year from now.

[pitchleague]

I just heard the news. . . . I was outside getting all Clark Griswold on our house when my wife told me. I'll have to read the thread and then give my couple a pennies.

[Dmiles23]

The Reds offered 11.5 -- The Brewers offered 10.5 -- I fail to see the Brewers being any more clever than Reds really.

 

The Brewers are more clever than the Reds because they currently do not have a $11.5M closer on their roster. That's just ridiculous to pay a closer... especially for a small market team. They will find someone... or probably 2-3 players for that amount of money. And hopefully they can throw all the guys they have in the pen against the wall, and find someone that sticks. Cross your fingers!!

[Fatter than Joey]

They will find someone... or probably 2-3 players for that amount of money. And hopefully they can throw all the guys they have in the pen against the wall, and find someone that sticks. Cross your fingers!!

 

I fail to see where "cross you fingers" is any more clever than paying $11.5M

[pitchleague]

well, prior to reading this, my initial thought was, "good luck, Coco. Hope you do well, except for when you play the Brewers."

 

After reading this thread, I'd have to agree with alot of comments others made, specifically about how we didn't need to spend $11+million/year on a 33-year old closer for the next 4 seasons. It does pang me to know now that our bullpen is in dire straights overall, but I can be patient with a whole lot of off-season to go.

 

Heck, Melvin has surprised us with a bunch of trades the past couple of winter meetings (or at least in December) that came totally out of left field that NONE of us saw coming.

 

To answer somebody else's question: No, I don't think Coco should get booed next year at MP. He did his job and he did it well. He earned the new contract. I'm not saying he's not going to get booed (far from it, actually. The second thing I thought after my wife told me about the trade was, "boy, is he going to hear it from the fans.") I'm pretty sure he will get roundly booed by most of the fans next season. Well, at least the casual fans.

[Fatter than Joey]

No, I don't think Coco should get booed next year at MP

 

I agree -- I think he served us well -- over the last 1.5 seasons he probably was in the top 2-3 Brewer performers.

 

That said he will get booed something fierce.

[jlau20]

I'm not unhappy with Cordero being gone and I'm thankful Cordero didn't accept 4yrs/42mil. Too much.

 

The part that still blows my mind is 4yr/42mil for a probable winner vs. 4yr/46mil for a probable loser and he takes the loser. Doesn't make much sense to me. Luckily I don't have enough talent in anything to get that sort of offer where I'd have to decide.

[trwi7]

Well it had nothing to do with the option the Reds included because Melvin offered a 5th year option too.

 

In the end, Melvin stopped at four years and $42 million, with an option year included in the package.

Link

 

Now we know what Cordero is really all about. The $4 million extra. Good riddance.

[logan82]

CoCo shouldn't get bood, but my money is on him getting booed. Given how close the contract offers were and the fact Cordero said that he liked playing in Milwaukee and wanted to return, this leaves a very sour taste in my mouth. I will not boo, but I will cheer very loudly if we do well against him.

[strawbossisevil]

So...what do you guys think about Bush and Vargas as relief pitchers? We might have to go down that road depending on the trade market and the rest of the free agents.

[Fatter than Joey]

Now we know what Cordero is really all about. The $4 million extra. Good riddance.

 

Maybe he isn't a big Jason Kendall fan either?

[burniebrewer]

Well it had nothing to do with the option the Reds included because Melvin offered a 5th year option too.

 

In the end, Melvin stopped at four years and $42 million, with an option year included in the package.

 

According to Milwaukeebrewers.com, that 5th year option was for $13 million.

The Brewers made a similar four-year offer that guaranteed $42 million, plus a $13 million option for a fifth season. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin was told Thursday by agent Bean Stringfellow that Cordero had chosen Cincinnati.

[wisconsinfan47]

Assuming the Brewers carry even a 70 million dollar payroll, I can't say I'd want to see them put 1/7th of the payroll into one guy who will pitch one inning maybe every other day.

I'll agree with that.

 

Closer is an overrated position. I'm confident we can find someone to do similar work as Coco for far less $. It might take a month or two, but someone will plug that hole in the bullpen, be it Bush, Otsuka, Marte, Turnbow, or whoever we find.

[colbyjack]

The Reds offered 11.5 -- The Brewers offered 10.5 -- I fail to see the Brewers being any more clever than Reds really.

 

This is the kicker. You can talk about how the team dodged a bullet, but if they had offered one more million per year Cordero, a pretty dang good player, would still be on the team. I mentioned earlier today that good teams once in a while have to take financial risks, even if the Brewers don't have as much margin for error.

 

And if Melvin put the cap on 4 years, $42M, he was basically telling every other team out there what they had to do to sign Cordero away from Milwaukee. Sure, it's a competitive offer, but he made it easy for the next highest bidder to win that one.

 

And I am disappointed that Cordero went with the money, when the money really wasn't that much greater. I don't care how the years and money was structured, in MLB, the money is guaranteed. I know it's business, and my rational side tells me I shouldn't get upset about this whatsoever, but the pure nitty-gritty yell at the TV fan in me says good riddance.

 

I just hope Melvin has a dang good plan B. I know closers are considered overrated, but why is it that all of the good teams have a pretty dang good one?

[trwi7]

CoCo shouldn't get bood, but my money is on him getting booed. Given how close the contract offers were and the fact Cordero said that he liked playing in Milwaukee and wanted to return, this leaves a very sour taste in my mouth. I will not boo, but I will cheer very loudly if we do well against him.

 

Oh he's going to get booed his agent says he truly wants to return to Milwaukee and then the Brewers offer basically the same contract that he ended up taking from the Reds and he deserves to get booed.

[trwi7]

I just hope Melvin has a dang good plan B. I know closers are considered overrated, but why is it that all of the good teams have a pretty dang good one?

 

The Cubs won the division with Ryan Dempster as closer. The Indians won with Joe Borowski as their closer. If you have a good bullpen (like both teams did) then you can basically put anybody in their in the 9th inning with nobody on and a 1-3 run lead to get 3 outs.

[crewcrazy]

Yeah, if Brady Clark gets booed at Miller Park, I can only imagine the reception CoCo's going to get the first time he makes an appearance in Milwaukee (and how loud it would be if the Brewers beat him in a walk-off win).